Syrian judo player keeps training for Paris Olympics despite challenging conditions

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hassan Bayan, a 23-year-old Syrian judo player, perseveres in his diligent preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics Games despite facing challenging training conditions caused by the lack of financial support resulting from the prolonged civil war in his country.   Bayan began practicing judo at the age of eight, but his training was abruptly halted by the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in March 2011. The training facility he used, the Faiha Stadium in Damascus, became a target in the opposition's bombardment, forcing Bayan to stop his training.   After a four-year hiatus, Bayan resumed his training and secured a place in the Syrian national judo team in 2015. In 2022, he clinched a gold medal at the Asian Judo Championships held in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.   "Any young person, as long as they are an athlete, would never want to be far away from sports. Of course, my passion for judo has never waned. I have always told my family that it's time to continue my athletic journey. However, due to the Syrian crisis and some reasons at my club, I had to shift my focus more towards academics rather than sports," Bayan said.   In 2017, a tragic incident occurred when two mortar shells struck the Faiha Stadium, resulting in the deaths of two athletes who were in training and injuring 20 others. Bayan's coach, Arthur, was among those wounded by shrapnel during the incident.   "Unfortunately, two shells landed here on December 15, 2017, triggering a massive explosion that claimed the lives of two athletes and injured nearly 20 others. Fortunately, Hassan was not participating in the training at that time, as he was studying, which spared him from the tragedy," Arthur said.   According to the coach, the mats in the stadium had not been replaced in 10 years, there was no air conditioning system, and the sports equipment was also in a state of disrepair. But Bayan had never complained about these challenging conditions. He believed that the biggest obstacle to enhancing his skills was the lack of financial support to participate in international competitions and training camps abroad.   "A professional athlete typically needs to participate in international competitions or championships every two months. But in my case, I only have one chance to participate in an international event in a year," Bayan said.   Bayan said he must prioritize his academics, but he still carries the dream of winning an Olympic medal. Over the past four years, he has overcome tremendous obstacles by participating in various international competitions to qualify for the Olympics.   "Over the past four years, I have dedicated myself to accumulating points with the hope of qualifying for the Olympics. It has always been an ambitious dream of mine. Now that I have secured my place to participate in the Olympics, I am resolute in giving my utmost and putting forth every effort. I hope that I can achieve good results," Bayan said.

Syrian judo player keeps training for Paris Olympics despite challenging conditions

Ruth Wangui, a Kenyan lecturer working at Tianjin Normal University in north China, has played an active role in fostering better relations and mutual understanding between African and Chinese people, helping to break down cultural barriers.

Ruth's connection with China began in 2005 when she joined the Confucius Institute in Kenya's capital Nairobi. She later benefited from a cultural program launched by the educational institute and Tianjin Normal University in China.

Since graduation with a doctorate degree from Tianjin Normal University, Ruth has been working as a lecturer at the university's China-Africa Language and Cultural Exchange Center.

"I was the first Kenyan to represent Kenya in the Chinese Bridge competition in 2006. So, that was my starting point of coming to China. I had a one-year scholarship to study the language here. Then in 2007, I was lucky enough to get another scholarship to do my bachelor's degree," Ruth recalled.

Alongside her Chinese language studies, Ruth developed a keen interest in the country's culture.

"We were not only taught the language but we were also introduced to the cultural part of it. So, I started from the classroom and went on to do community learning as well. I participated in numerous competitions around the country," she said.

As an outstanding international student excelling in this area, Ruth was even invited to perform twice at the Spring Festival Gala, which is enjoyed by almost every Chinese household and one of the biggest galas in the world.

Regarding Tianjin Normal University, Ruth credits it with playing a key role in breaking cultural barriers between China and Africa. Now, she is also one of those actively involved in promoting Chinese-African cultural exchanges.

"Tianjin Normal University, for one, has been at the center point of China-Africa exchanges, owing to the Confucius Institute. So, it has been at the front of people-to-people exchanges," said the lecturer from Kenya.

In 2005, Tianjin Normal University partnered with the University of Nairobi to establish the first Confucius Institute in Africa. Since then, they have launched a series of combined Chinese teaching programs to cultivate talent.

"We have collaborated with the University of Nairobi to establish Chinese teaching majors, including 1+1 Masters and 2+2 Bachelors programs, working together on undergraduate, masters and doctoral training. Ruth is a typical representative of these efforts," said Gong Jinlong, president of Tianjin Normal University.

Ruth's experience also has a positive impact on other African students.

"I saw her participating in some of Chinese competitions, and she inspired me very much," said Ike Kitili, an African PhD student in public policy and governance at Tianjin Normal University.

Kenyan woman promotes China-Africa cultural exchanges